Holiday Gift Guide 2015

This year we have separated the must haves into two different price categories, gifts under $50 and gifts stretching the wallet a bit further but hugging the $200 mark.  We genuinely tried to keep the list under $50, but just couldn’t leave out three of our favorite products of 2015. Happy shopping!

Gifts under $50

GoMacro Sampler Pack, $29.95 (BUY)

Every one of your trail exploring buds needs fuel to keep them going. Gone are the days where nutrition bars taste like squirrel food and contain ingredients you can’t pronounce. The replica watches GoMacro sampler pack is a great way to try each of the flavors available, all of which are non-GMO, macrobiotic, vegan, kosher, and gluten free.

Black Diamond Equipment Storm Headlamp, $49.95 (BUY)

Boasting a whopping 160 lumens with One QuadPower LED, two SinglePower white LEDs, and two SinglePower red LEDs, the BD Storm headlamp is a must have for any light night route finding missions. You’ll get a whopping 125 hours of battery life while using this at its brightest, one QuadPower LED setting, or 200 hours at the two SinglePower LED setting. The Storm is also equipped with a locking mode, gone are the days where your headlamp blows its load inside your pack leaving you with complete darkness on your pre-dawn start.

Therm-a-Rest Z Lite SOL Sleeping Pad, $44.95 (BUY)

Weighing in at a scant 14oz for the regular human sized version (72″ x 20″ x 0.75″) and smaller options for hard (wo)man alpinists, the Therm-a-Rest Z Lite SOL is on every alpinist’s pack these days. When an overnight stay requires guaranteed insulation from the elements, carrying an inflatable mattress is not a wise option; popping the mattress could be devastating. The Therm-a-Rest Z Lite is nearly indestructible and has a respectable R value of 2.6, eliminating restless nights at higher elevations.

Swiftwick Twelve Pursuit Socks, $34.99 (BUY)

It is no secret that the gear geeks at Thrillseekers Anonymous are obsessed with Swiftwick socks, specifically the Pursuit line. The Pursuit Twelve socks are made of itch free merino wool and are excellent for winter cardio endeavors including running, cross country skiing, and ski mountaineering. A few details that Swiftwick incorporates to make the best sock on the market are Linked-Toe technology, preventing blisters by eliminating bunching in the toe-box, and Managed Compression™, supporting all 3 arches in the foot eliminating hotspots and blisters. It’s laundry day when I throw on my last clean pair of Swiftwicks.

WoolX Merino Wool Gaiter, $34.00 (BUY)

This versatile merino wool “neck” gaiter serves as a killer hat, headband, and neck gaiter. The no-itch merino wool helps wick away sweet, making this a perfect gift for the tag heuer replica watches ultimate dirtbag setting out for multi-day adventures. The female gear geeks at Thrillseekers Anonymous are obsessed with wearing it as a hat under a helmet while multi-pitch rock or ice climbing; not only does it keep your noggin warm, it also keeps those pesky flyaway hairs out of your eyes when the wind decides to whisper loudly mid crux.

The Rock Climber’s Training Manual, $28.95 (BUY)

The Rock Climber’s Training Manual is to sport climbing as Freedom of the Hills is to mountaineering. Written by rock climbing crushers, Mark and Mike Anderson, this book is the most comprehensive training manual specific to rock climbing. The resumes of the authors include countless daunting first ascents and a plethora of 5.14 sends. Know a certain someone frustrated with being stuck at a climbing grade? Gift an autographed version and watch them overcome their plateau in no time!

Gifts under $200

American Alpine Club Membership, $80.00 (BUY)

An American Alpine Club membership is possibly one of the coolest gifts out there. Membership includes $10,000 in rescue benefits, access to dream grants, a free guidebook rental program fulfilled by mail, land stewardship opportunities, and so much more.

Therm-A-Rest NEOAir XTHERM $199.95 (BUY)

On a jaunt up Rainier this summer, my sister-in-law wouldn’t shut up about this “amazing” pad. From sleeping on a fluffy mattress pad at 10,000′ to rolling it up to the size of a nalgene, it was a pretty effective sell. After years away from the inflatable mattress market, I’m now in the process of personally trying to find out something wrong with this pad; ultimately coming up short and just getting some pretty great nights of sleep. The NEOAir XTherm weighs a meager 15-oz, only 1-oz heavier than the Therm-a-Rest Z-SOL LITE, and protects you with a buff R-value of 5.7, making it the most ideal winter camping pad on the market.

CiloGear 30L WorkSack, $189.00 (BUY)

The fast and light solution for your favorite alpinist.  This pack has a stripped weight of 1.25 pounds and is made with ripstop fabric making it a glutton for abuse in the mountains. The 30L WorkSack expands to 40L and compresses down to 15L, making it the perfect alpine day pack. Also a huge bonus, it is manufactured in the US of A.

Did we leave out a must-have gear gift? Please tell us in the comments below!